A: We recommend to have a technician look at your Houston HVAC equipment twice a year. Usually, as our preventative maintenance agreement provides—have the technician look at the cooling side in the spring. That visit is more geared towards air conditioning, and once in the fall—that visit will be more geared towards heating.
Have you been receiving regularly scheduled HVAC maintenance on your Houston HVAC system? If not, this article is going to be eye-opening for you. You might brush off the need for scheduled HVAC maintenance as unnecessary. Many Houstonians actually shrug it off since they don’t see anything wrong with their unit currently. However, as any Houston HVAC repair company will tell you, those are the same people going into debt for a costly repair.
What makes it worse, is that 95% of the time that repair is avoidable or at the very can cost less. How? With proper maintenance scheduled twice a year from Airteam.
You see, your HVAC system is a mechanical machine, not much unlike your vehicle. Just like a car needs the oil changed regularly and air in the tires, your HVAC is no different. There are lubricants that need to be replenished, seals that need to be inspected, coolant checks and more.
You may still think it’s not necessary. Maybe you figure you spent 20k on an elite system and it should be fine on its own. Maybe you don’t notice any noises or signs of trouble—but then again how do you really know? Honestly, there are some minor issues with Houston HVAC systems that until they are severe, don’t present themselves without inspection. Once you learn the details of what goes on with a scheduled HVAC maintenance call you’ll change your mind.
Why Is Houston HVAC Maintenance So Important?
The purpose of preventative maintenance is just as it sounds—to prevent costly breakdowns not to identify them. If your HVAC is already broken, then a service call is no longer preventative, it is restorative.
The difference in the two calls can be quite staggering—as in the thousands staggering. Unlike a vehicle, you rarely get a peek at the inner workings of your HVAC unit. This, unfortunately, makes it easier to overlook and forget about, sometimes for years.
However, everyone remembers it once they endure their first repair of several thousand dollars. Especially, when the initial problem could’ve been fixed for a couple hundred before it snowballed. Think about it, would you drive your car all year long without changing the oil or adding air to the tires? You’d be lucky if that vehicle still ran that long without any maintenance.
Your HVAC is no different, it’s mechanical moving parts under extreme stress, especially in the Texas summers. When the average Houston HVAC system costs at least 10k, you expect it to last at least a decade, right?
Well, with no maintenance, in the Texas heat and Houston humidity, you’d be lucky to make it to ten years. Regularly scheduled maintenance really is that crucial to the lifespan of your system. Scheduled maintenance is half inspection and half upkeep if you want to get down to brass tacks. Knowing the condition of your HVAC regularly will help you head off costly failures and reap many other benefits.
Benefits of Scheduled Houston HVAC Maintenance
You invested a lot into your HVAC system so why not invest just a little bit more to maximize its lifespan? Many of our new clients, when presented with our MVP scheduled maintenance plan ask if it’s worth the small monthly fee. The answer is a resounding YES—especially when you consider the many benefits it offers.
- Lowers Your Energy Bills: Many Houston HVAC owners assume that because their unit doesn’t show signs of failure that it’s all good. That couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, many times your HVAC unit can sound fine but seriously underperform. A system that is neglected often will gradually degrade in efficiency. That degradation leads to higher energy bills—bills that can be avoided with scheduled maintenance. When your system is monitored and maintained regularly, it runs as designed—efficiently.
- Fewer Repairs: Another reason you want to have consistent service on your HVAC unit is to stop little problems from being big ones. Often, small problems like a frayed compressor belt that go undetected end up causing bigger issues such as a burned-up compressor. Basically, small issues that are repaired in time, avoid the frequency of costly major repairs.
- Less Likely To Have A Major Failure: No one wants to have their Houston HVAC completely die on them in mid-July. You want smooth, quiet, and efficient cooling right? The good news is, the odds of a major failure are considerably less when you have it maintained regularly.
- Your HVAC Lasts Longer: HVAC systems have a limited lifespan like any mechanical machine. Just like our vehicles, when properly maintained, you will get the maximum life expectancy from your HVAC unit. Regular maintenance helps keep an eye on your system which can add years to your unit’s lifespan.
Maintenance Tasks That Are Safe To DIY
Scheduled maintenance helps ensure your system runs at peak performance and for as long as possible. However, there are some DIY maintenance tasks you can do throughout the year on your own. These tasks are good for your system and keep your air cleaner as well.
Since you have two guaranteed maintenance visits per year—in fall and spring, it’s good to keep up between those. It’s wise to undertake a few DIY maintenance tasks any homeowner can do such as:
- Change the HVAC air filter at least once a month. While some units have a sensor that will alert you when it’s time to replace not all do. It’s good to just make a habit of checking the filter once a week. For homeowners with several pets or bad allergies you may need to change the filter more than once a month. When a filter gets clogged it restricts airflow making the system work harder and run hotter. It also filters fewer allergens out of the air, triggering many people’s allergies.
- Remove debris such as yard clippings, trash, and fallen leaves from around the unit.
- Hose down the unit with water once a month to prevent dirt buildup
- Trim back hedges, tall grass, and bushes at least 20 inches from the unit
- Make sure return supply and vents are not obstructed by drapes or other household objects
Maintenance Tasks You Should Leave To The Airteam Pros
Many Airteam clients ask us why they can’t do their own HVAC maintenance and tune-ups. While there are many routine maintenance tasks you indeed can do, some need professionals to get it done.
Many of these tasks require specialized equipment, certifications to handle hazardous materials, and just plain experience. HVAC systems contain a high amount of voltage and are becoming more and more complex with smart technology. It only takes one mistake to ruin a $15,000 system.
When you call the pros at Airteam these are the top 5 tasks that they should be handling rather than yourself:
- Check Electrical Connections: Loose connections can cause huge and dangerous problems for your home. Not only can it cause a fire due to a short, but it can severely shorten the lifespan of your system. Our technicians will tighten connections and even check the voltage readings to ensure proper power.
- Lubricate Moving Parts: One of the most common issues we see in unmaintained systems that fail is a failure to lubricate. When there is a lack of lubrication in a system it leads to excessive friction. Friction is the number one cause of mechanical breakdown and overheating—adding lubrication regularly reduces friction.
- Clean The Evaporator Coils: Dirty coils gradually decrease efficiency in cooling which makes the unit run longer. This extended run time not only costs you dearly in high energy usage but shortens your unit’s life significantly. Cleaning the coils prolongs the lifespan and makes the unit run more efficiently and for less time.
- Check Coolant: Systems that are under or overcharged when installed can develop serious problems. An undercharged system can also be the symptom of a leak somewhere in the machine. Our technicians will check lines for leakage as well as coolant levels.
Do You Have The Best In Houston HVAC Maintenance?
The most important part of scheduled HVAC maintenance is having it done by the right contractors. Airteam is one of the top HVAC companies in Houston and has a combined 30 plus years of experience. We have been serving your neighbors for well over a decade with honesty, integrity, and best in class service.
Contact us today to become an Airteam MVP and get your scheduled maintenance plan started right now!
